Laser guiding device for tile cutting machine

ABSTRACT

An assembly for a cutting machine which includes a base, a rotating blade extending from a top surface of the base for cutting a workpiece put on the top surface of the base and a support member fixed to the base. The assembly includes a protection member having a first end connected to the support member and the rotating blade of the tile cutting machine is received in an open bottom of the protection member. A fence assembly includes a first fence pivotably connected between two sidewalls of the protection member so as to cover the rotating blade.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Divisional application of applicant'sformer application of application Ser. No. 10/844,510, filed on May 13,2004, and which is a Continuation-In-Part application of applicationSer. No. 10/704,799 filed on Nov. 12, 2003.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cutting machine and moreparticularly, to a cutting machine having a fence assembly.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional tile cutting machine 10 used to cut a tile 15 is shown inFIG. 1 and generally includes a base 11 having a top surface 12 on whicha tile 15 to be cut is put. A rotating blade 13 is received in a slotdefined through the top surface 12 and a protection member 17 ispivotably fixed to the base 11 and mounted above the blade 13 so as toprotect the user from being injured by the blade 13. A gauge 14 islocated on a side of the base 11 and a clamping device 16 is slidablyconnected to the gauge 14. A corner of a tile 15 to be cut is engagedwith the recess in the clamping device 16 and moved together with theclamping device 16 toward the blade 13. A cutting line is pre-set on thesurface of the tile 15 so that the user aligns the blade 13 with thecutting line and cuts the tile 15 along the cutting line. Nevertheless,the surface of the tile 15 may not be suitable to draw a line thereonand the line could be hidden by the debris during operation so that theuser has to stop frequently to make sure that the cutting line isvisible.

The present invention intends to provide an assembly with a laserguiding device for a tile cutting machine and provides a fence assemblyfor covering the rotating blade and protection. The fence assemblyincludes first and second fences, the first fence covers the rotatingblade and the second fence covers the opening between the first fenceand the protection member. The second fence pivots the first fence whenthe tile is put on the top surface of the machine such that the firstfence does not interfere the cutting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an assembly for a cutting machine whichincludes a base, a rotating blade extending from a top surface of thebase for cutting a workpiece put on the top surface of the base and asupport member fixed to the base. The assembly comprises a protectionmember having a first end connected to the support member of the tilecutting machine and an open bottom to receive the rotating blade of thecutting machine therein. The assembly comprises a fence assembly whichincludes a first fence, U-shaped, having a first end pivotably connectedbetween two sidewalls of a second end of the protection member remotefrom the first end of the protection member.

The present invention will become more obvious from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswhich show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment inaccordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view to show the conventional tile cuttingmachine;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view to show the laser guiding device of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view to show the laser guiding device of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of the laser guiding device of thepresent invention, wherein no tile is put on the top surface of the tilecutting machine;

FIG. 5 shows that the second fence is pivoted upward by a tile on thetop surface of the cutting machine and the first fence is pivoted upwardby the second fence;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view to show the laser guiding device of thepresent invention generates a laser beam on the tile to be cut; and

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view to show the tube and laser generatingpiece are movable along the adjusting screw.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 6, a tile cutting machine includes a base20 with a gauge 80 on a side of the base 20 and a rotating blade 30extends from a slot defined through a top surface 21 of the base 20. Aclamping device 70 is slidably connected to the gauge 80 so as to clampa tile 60 at a pre-set angle. The laser guiding device 40 of the presentinvention comprises a protection member 42 that has a first end 421connected to an L-shaped support member 41 which projects out from thetop surface 21 and is fixed to the base 20. The protection member 42 hasan open bottom 4212 (FIG. 4) so as to receive the rotating blade 30therein. A power supply assembly 422 is received in a chamber 4211defined in a top of the protection member 42 and a cover 429 is used toclose the chamber 4211. The protection member 42 includes two sidewalls4215 which extend from a second end of the protection member 42 and agroove 4216 is defined in the second end of the protection member 42 sothat a part of a lens 427 is engaged with the groove 4216. The lens 427includes a central hole 4271 through which a laser beam goes through.

A laser generating assembly is connected to the second end of theprotection member 42 and comprises a tube 424 through which a lasergenerating piece 425 is received and located in alignment with the lens427. A holding member 423 is movably connected to the protection member42 and the tube 424 and the laser generating piece 425 both extendthrough and positioned to the holding member 423. The tube 424 includesa flange at an end thereof so as to rest on a top end of the holdingmember 423. The laser generating piece 425 is electrically connected tothe power supply assembly 422.

Two notches 4218 are respectively defined in the two sidewalls 4215 ofthe second end of the protection member 42 and an adjusting screw 428 isrotatably engaged with the two notches 4218 and threadedly extendsthrough a threaded hole in a lug 4231 on the holding member 423. Anouter wall portion is connected to one of the two sidewalls 4215 of theprotection member 42 and includes an adjusting hole 4217 via which ahead of the adjusting screw 428 is accessible. Therefore, as shown inFIG. 7, the holding member 423 can be adjustably moved along theadjusting screw 428 when rotating the adjusting screw 428. By theadjustment of the holding member 423, the laser beam can be preciselyset relative to the rotating blade 30. A hood 426 has a first end fixedto the second end of the protection member 42 by a screw extendingthrough a hole in the hood 426 and connected to a threaded hole 4219 inthe second end of the protection member 42. A second end of the hood 426includes a slot 4262 (FIG. 4) defined in an inside thereof so as toreceive another part of the lens 427 which is then well positioned. Aprotrusion 4261 extends from one of two sides of the hood 426 andpositions a plain section of the distal end of the adjusting screw 428in the notches 4218. The tube 424 and the laser generating piece 425 arecovered by the hood 426.

A fence assembly 50 is composed of a first fence 51 and a second fence52. The first fence 51 is a U-shaped member 511 and has a first endthereof pivotably connected between the two sidewalls 4215 of theprotection member 42. The first fence 51 is located above the rotatingblade 30. A first recess 513 is defined in the first end of the firstfence 51 and a first pin 515 extends through two sides of the firstrecess 513 and the two sidewalls 4215 of the protection member 42. Afirst U-shaped flexible plate 516 is rested in the first recess 513 andpositioned by the first pin 515. One of two sides of the first U-shapedflexible plate 516 contacts against an upright wall 4214 in the firstend 421 of the protection member 42 and the other one of the two sidesof the first U-shaped flexible plate 516 contacts against an uprightinside 514 of the first recess 513. The first end of the first fence 51has a first stop surface 512 which contacts against the upright wall4214 in the first end 421 of the protection member 42 so as to preventthe first fence 51 from being pivoted downward.

The second fence 52 is a U-shaped member 521 and has a first end thereofpivotably connected between the two sidewalls 4215 of the second end ofthe protection member 42. A protrusion 527 extends from an inside of asecond end of the second fence 52 and a second end 517 of the firstfence 51 is rested on the protrusion 527 of the second fence 52 when thesecond fence 52 is pushed upward by a tile 60 as shown in FIG. 5. Asecond recess 523 is defined in the first end of the second fence 52 anda second pin 525 extends through two sides of the second recess 523 andthe two sidewalls of the protection member 42. A second U-shapedflexible plate 526 is rested in the second recess 523 and positioned bythe second pin 525. One of two sides of the second U-shaped flexibleplate 526 contacts against an upright wall 4213 in second end of theprotection member 42 and the other one of the two sides of the secondU-shaped flexible plate 526 contacts against an upright inside 524 ofthe second recess 523. The first end of the second fence 52 has a secondstop surface 522 which contacts against the upright wall 4213 in thefirst end 421 of the protection member 42 so as to prevent the secondfence 52 from being pivoted downward. Therefore, when a tile 60 is puton the top surface 21 of the tile cutting machine, a laser beam “L” asshown in FIG. 6 is marked on the tile 60 and the blade 30 cuts the tile60 along the laser beam “L.”. The second end of the second fence 52 israised upward by the thickness of the tile 60 so that the second end 517of the first fence 51 is pivoted upward by the upward pivotal movementof the protrusion 527 of the second fence 52. After the tile 60 isremoved, the first and second fences 51 and 52 are pivoted downward bythe first and second U-shaped flexible plates 516, 526 till the firstand second stop surfaces 512 and 522 respectively contact the uprightwalls 4214 and 4213 respectively.

The fence 52 also covers the opening between the first fence 51 and theprotection member 42 to keep debris and cutting liquid or the like fromsplashing out via the opening.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art thatfurther embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

1. An assembly for a cutting machine which includes a base, a rotatingblade extending from a top surface of said base for cutting a workpieceput on said top surface of said base and a support member mounted tosaid base, the assembly comprising: a protection member having a firstend connected to said support member of said cutting machine and an openbottom adapted to receive said rotating blade of said cutting machinetherein; and a fence assembly including a first fence, U-shaped, havinga first end pivotably connected between two sidewalls of a second end ofsaid protection member remote from said first end of said protectionmember.
 2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first end ofsaid first fence provides a recess and has a flexible member rested insaid recess.
 3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein said flexiblemember is a U-shaped flexible plate, one of two sides of said U-shapedflexible plate contacts against an upright wall of said second end ofsaid protection member, and the other side of said U-shaped flexibleplate contacts against an upright inside of said recess.
 4. The assemblyaccording to claim 3, wherein said first end of said first fence has apin extending through two sides of said recess and said two sidewalls ofsaid second end of said protection member, and positioning said U-shapedflexible plate.
 5. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein said firstend of said first fence has a stop surface contacting against saidupright wall of said second end of said protection member so as toprevent said first fence from being pivoted by said U-shaped flexibleplate.
 6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said fence assemblyfurther includes a second fence, U-shaped, located above said rotatingblade and having a first end pivotably connected between said twosidewalls of said first end of said protection member, and a second endof said first fence pushes a second end of said second fence upward whensaid second end of said first fence is pushed upward by said workpiece.7. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein said first fence has aprotrusion extending from an inside of said second end of said firstfence, and said second end of said second fence is rested on saidprotrusion when said second fence is pushed.
 8. The assembly accordingto claim 6, further comprising: a power supply assembly received in achamber defined by said protection member; a holding member connected toa second end of said protection member; and a laser generating assemblyextending through and positioned to said holding member.
 9. The assemblyaccording to claim 8, wherein an adjusting screw extends through saidtwo sidewalls of said second end of said protection member and athreaded hole in a lug on said holding member, said holding member beingadjustably moved along said adjusting screw when rotating said adjustingscrew.
 10. The assembly according to claim 8, wherein a lens isconnected to said second end of said protection member, a hood has afirst end fixed to said second end of said protection member and asecond end of said hood including a slot defined in an inside thereof soas to receive a part of said lens, and said laser generating assembly iscovered by said hood and located in aligned with said lens.